Vijasan Caves
are a place of religious importance and these caves are 2000 years old Buddhist caves at Vijasan well-known as Vijasan Tekdi at Bhadrawati city.
Location:
Vijasan Caves are located at Bhadrawati in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state in India.
Description:
Bhadrawati or Bhandak is an old city in Vidharbha which is around 25 km from Chandrapur. The history of the city of Bhadravati goes back to two thousand years. In this place, there are many ancient relics, castles, temples and caves to the medieval period from prehistoric times.
Historical Importance:
These caves are the biggest Buddhist caves in Vidarbha, constructed in the 2nd century CE by King Yajna Sri Satakarni of Satawahana Dynasty. Panduvamshis ruler Udayana’s grandson Bhavadeva done restoration of this Buddhist caves.
Is an impression that a Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang had visited this place.
Rulers like Maurya, Satavahan, Western Satraps, Mundraj vansh, Vakatak, Nal vansh, Vishnukundi, Kalchuri, Chalukya, Rashtrakut, Mana, Yadav had ruled in Bhadrawati.
Cave Architecture:
Vijasan Caves consists of long passages leading through small chamber up to small shrines of Buddha. The excavations are in the shape of a cross, the lower part being an open passage 63 feet long, the upper part a gallery cave 74 feet long, and the right and left parts having two galleries, the right gallery cave of 47 feet long and left gallery cave of 35 feet long.
On the left hand there is a small room 6 feet 9-inch square. On the right hand are two small rooms, these are cells for monks. From the head of the long chamber a few short passages lead up to the sanctum, a small room with a flat roof having a statue of Buddha seated on a throne.
There is a short inscription of six letters on the right door jamb of the entrance. The first and last letters are not clear, though the whole may be read as “Sri Rudasachi hu”, here few earlier letters belong to Gupta period and later to the 7th or 8th century. This record seems to be only the name of a pilgrim, Rudra, who had visited the cave.
Another large inscription which is on a long reddish stone that had been removed and taken to Nagpur Museum.
The right cave and the left cave are of exactly the same style as the front cave, but these are smaller in size. The statue of seated Buddha is carved on the throne in these caves.
Vijasan caves deserves a special mention for the carving of three stupa symbols on their facade. The stupa symbols are carved in low relief on the facade of the caves as well as on the side walls of the wide porch. These depictions of stupa symbol are shown with the all parts such as medhi, anda, harmika and chhatravali.
On the wall there are traces of mutilated inscription shows by the shape of its letters which are quite perfect and readable.
On the top of the hill beautiful Buddha statue is erected.
On the backside of the top of the hill have the Bodhisatwa statue.
Transportation Information:
Nearest Airport : Nagpur Airport
Nearest Railway Station : Bhandak Railway Station
Nearest Bus Station : Bhadrawati Bus Stop
Map:
Committed to research & conservation of Buddhist monuments that have a historical heritage of India.